The present invention relates to techniques for applying modulation constraints to interleaved data, and more particularly, to techniques for applying modulation constraints separately to even and odd bits in a data stream.
A disk drive can write data bits onto a data storage disk such as a magnetic hard disk. The disk drive can also read data bits that have been stored on a data disk. Certain sequences of data bits are difficult to write onto a disk and often cause errors during read-back of the data.
Long recorded data sequences of the same polarity are examples of data bit patterns that are prone to errors. These data sequences correspond to long sequences of binary zeros or binary ones in the NRZ (non return-to-zero) representation, or alternatively to long sequences of binary zeros in the NRZI or PR4 representations. Another example of error prone data bit patterns are long sequences of zeros in alternating positions (e.g., 0a0b0c0d0 . . . , where a, b, c, d may each be 0 or 1) in the PR4 representation
Binary sequences are routinely transformed from one representation to another using precoders and inverse precoders, according to well known techniques. In the present application, binary sequences are represented as PR4 sequences unless otherwise stated. A PR4 representation can be transformed into an NRZI representation by a precoder which convolves with 1/(1+D) or into an NRZ representation by a precoder which convolves with 1/(1+D2).
It is desirable to eliminate error prone bit sequences in user input data. Eliminating error prone bit sequences ensures reliable operation of the detector and timing loops in a disk drive system. One way to eliminate error prone bit sequences is to substitute the error prone bit sequences with non-error prone bit patterns that are stored in memory in lookup tables. Lookup tables, however, are undesirable for performing substitutions of very long bit sequences, because they require a large amount of memory.
Many disk drives have a modulation encoder. A modulation encoder uses modulation codes to eliminate sequences of bits that are prone to errors.
Maximum transition run (MTR) constrained codes are one specific type of modulation code that are used in conjunction with a 1/(1+D) precoder. With respect to MTR codes, a j constraint refers to the maximum number of consecutive ones in an NRZI representation, a k constraint refers to the maximum number of consecutive zeros in an NRZI representation, and a t constraint refers to the maximum number of consecutive pairs of bits of the same value in an NRZI representation (e.g., AABBCCDDEE . . . ).
Codes that constrain the longest run of zero digits in the PR4 representation of a sequence are said to enforce a G-constraint where G is the longest allowed run of consecutive zeros. A G constrained PR4 representation is mapped to a k-constrained NRZI representation by a 1/(1+D) precoder, where k=G+1.
Codes that constrain the longest run of zero digits in alternate locations in the PR4 representation of a sequence are said to enforce an I-constraint, where I is the longest run of zeros in consecutive odd or even locations. An I-constrained sequence is necessarily G-constrained with G=2I. An I constrained PR4 representation is mapped to a t-constrained NRZI representation by a 1/(1+D) precoder, where t=I.
Fibonacci codes are one example of modulation codes that are used by modulation encoders. Fibonacci codes provide an efficient way to impose modulation code constraints on recorded data to eliminate error prone bit sequences. A Fibonacci encoder maps an input number to an equivalent number representation in a Fibonacci base. A Fibonacci encoder maps an input vector with K bits to an output vector with N bits. A Fibonacci encoder uses a base with N vectors, which is stored as an N×K binary matrix. Successive application of Euclid's algorithm to the input vector with respect to the stored base gives an encoded vector of length N.
Fibonacci codes are naturally constructed to eliminate long runs of consecutive one digits. This is expressed in the literature as the j constraint, where the parameter j enumerates the longest permitted run of ones. A trivial modification of the Fibonacci code is formed by inverting the encoded sequence. This inverted Fibonacci code eliminates long runs of consecutive zero digits. This constraint is expressed in the literature variously as the k constraint or G constraint, where the parameter k (or G) enumerates the longest permitted run of zeros. Fibonacci codes do not naturally enforce I constraints nor a combination of G and I constraints.
It would therefore be desirable to extend the Fibonacci codes construction to encompass combined G and I constraints.